Slain man's friends get in shouting match with Newburgh officials at news conference

Friday

Mar 9, 2012 at 12:38 PMMar 9, 2012 at 3:59 PM

Doyle Murphy

C ITY OF NEWBURGH – Residents and family of a 22-year-old man killed by police officers shouted down police and Newburgh officials during a news conference on Friday.

Newburgh police Chief Michael Ferrara said four officers chased Michael Lembhard inside 55 Liberty St. late Wednesday night, planning to take him into custody on an arrest warrant. Lembhard struggled with the officers, broke free and grabbed a 12.5-inch kitchen knife, Ferrara said. He threatened to kill himself and then suddenly lunged at officers with a knife, Ferrara said. Two opened fire.

Before Ferrara finished, people in the crowded City Hall chambers began to shout.

“You're a liar,” said a Newburgh woman.

The next 15 minutes were filled with shouting from residents and family members. On behalf of the family, Omari Shakur demanded an independent investigation and a special prosecutor.

Mayor Judy Kennedy said she was committed to a thorough investigation and a special prosecutor might be part of the process. It wasn't clear how the city would make that happen.

Orange County District Attorney Frank Phillips said the investigation is ongoing and they still don't have answers for several questions, including the number of times Lembhard was shot. An autopsy was being performed even as the news conference convened, Phillips said. Final decisions about whether the officers' actions were justified will be made by a Grand Jury, Phillips said.

Police didn't release the names of the two officers who fired, but Ferrara said they will be named in the future.

A team of eight city police officers and Orange County Sheriff's Deputies stood quietly in the back of the room. Although the meeting became loud and unwieldy, the arguments were all verbal. The crowd began to filter out after about an hour.